Theater for everyone at Griffith Park

Is your dream acting? The free program, “Players in the Park”, offered by the theater company Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC) gives you the opportunity of getting started with these free classical theater workshops in English and Spanish and for all ages. This experience could also inspire you to have a Shakespearian themed Quinceanera.

The program offered by the ISC allows children, youth and people of all ages to be a part of these theater workshops and attend William Shakespeare’s works at the natural amphitheater located at the beautiful Griffith Park in Los Angeles. This summer, the experience will take place from June 28th until August 28. The chosen works to recreate are: “The Merry Wives of Windsor”, “Love’s labour’s lost” and “Hamlet”.

These selected English and Spanish didactic workshops are available to the public thanks to a donation by the James Irvine Foundation. The workshops consist of imagination exercises taught by members of the ISC cast itself. Young people will participate in a series of activities where Shakespearian words travel from pages to body and voices. According to the ISC, by then end of these workshops anyone participating has most likely worn a crown, used a toy sword or personified prince Hamlet on stage.

ISC’s 2010 season had over 13,000 people in attendance, which turned this theatrical event on the biggest of the summer in Los Angeles. You can be part of this experience this year and learn basic elements of classical theater as well as understand why Shakespeare’s works are so famous. Maybe this will inspire you to have a princess custom made dress for your party.

ISC is the only theater company in Los Angeles offering a Shakespearian educational workshop in Spanish. The members of this company are perhaps the best professional actors in Los Angeles, with experience working in Broadway, London and in the most prestigious regional theaters within the United States. Five of the ISC’s actors are bilingual and perform in both English and Spanish.

The objective ISC has in mind with these workshops is to put an end the myth of Shakespeare’s works being boring and prove they are clearly comprehensible and have a special message for everyone no matter their age, gender or ethnic background.

How to participate?

There will be a total of 9 workshops, six in English and three in Spanish. Material for every course is available in both languages. Admission is free but a reservation for each workshop is required in order to participate. All of the productions will be presented in English. Training enlivened by youth groups between the workshops and plays will be provided.

The festival’s stage will be located by the old zoo (near the carrousel) in Griffith Park. It is a natural amphitheater conveniently located by wide parking lot. It is recommended to bring your own chairs and warm clothes at night.

The plays will be presented from June 30th until August 28, from Thursday to Sunday at 7pm at the amphitheater located at Griffith Parks’ old zoo, near 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027:

MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR (June 30th – July 31st)

HAMLET (July 14th – August 28th)

LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST (August 4th – August 27)

Workshops are scheduled from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, on these days:

MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR:

Sunday, July 10th (English)

Sunday July 17th (English)

Sunday July 31st (Spanish)

HAMLET:

Sunday July 24th (English)

Sunday August 14th (English)

Sunday August 21 (Spanish)

LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST:

Sunday August 7th (English)

Saturday August 13th (English)

Saturday August 20th (Spanish)

For more information and directions, visit: www.iscla.org or call (818) 710-6306.

This post is also available in: Spanish